Israel seeking China’s help in curtailing Iran’s nuclear program

After airstrikes devastated Iran’s nuclear program, Israel has appealed to the Chinese government to curtail Tehran’s efforts to rebuild its nuclear facilities and military forces.

By World Israel News Staff

The Israeli government has appealed to Beijing to use its economic influence over Tehran to force the Islamic republic to rein in its nuclear and military ambitions, a senior Israeli diplomat said on Tuesday.

Speaking with reporters, Israeli consul-general in Shanghai Ravi Baer said that Israel has reached out to China in a bid to convince Chinese leaders to pressure Iran not to attempt to rebuild its nuclear program, and to cease its military efforts – often carried out through proxy groups – across the Middle East.

The Israeli consul-general noted that China is the primary buyer of Iranian oil exports.

As of 2023, China purchased close to 90% of Iran’s crude oil, though China’s oil imports directly from Iran declined this year, following President Donald Trump’s tightening of sanctions against Iran.

However, Chinese oil imports from Iran surged last month, beginning prior to Israel’s 12-day air campaign against Iran’s nuclear program, rising to an average of over 1.8 million barrels per day of crude oil from June 1^st through the 20th, according to an analysis performed by Vortexa.

“China is the only one capable of influencing Iran,” Baer said during a press conference in Shanghai. “Iran would collapse if China didn’t buy its oil.”

Baer later spoke with Bloomberg TV to expand on the issues she raised during Tuesday’s press conference.

“Unfortunately, a lot of the money and the revenues that come from selling oil — Iranian oil — in Iran goes to Iran’s malign activities in the region.”

In addition to its oil imports from Iran, China is a major investor in the Islamic republic, inking a $400 billion deal with Tehran in 2021.

“They can pressure Iran, they have political power over Iran, they can help change its maligned activities in the region,” Baer added. “There are many things China can do.”

Baer did note that Beijing is unlikely to agree to mediating between Israel and Iran.

“Being a mediator is a big responsibility, requires lots of money and hard decisions.”